Rotary engine



No. 609,618. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

n B HITZ & c. A. M. van 'svsuns'.

ROTARY ENGlNE.

(Application filed Aug. 2, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

Y/IIIJIIIIIIIIIIII" I f N0.609,6l8. v Patented Aug. 23, I898. H. B. HITZ 81. C. A. M. VON SYBURG.

ROTARY ENGINE.

lie r0 flldA .2 1897 pp 8.111 e ug (No Model.) 4 Sheets-S eeee 2.

'ND. 609,6I8. Patented Aug. 23,1898.

H. B. HITZ &. C. A. M. VON SYBURG.

ROTARY ENGINE. (Application filed Aug. 2,1897.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 609,6l8. Patented Aug. 23, I898. H. B. HITZ &. C. A. M. VON SYBURG.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Aug. 2, 1597.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

gmm cw gi 25% M M NiTED STATES PATENT OF ICE."

HENRY B. HITZ, OF MILWAUKEE, AND CARL A. M. VON SYBURG, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,618, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed August 2, 18 9'7. Serial No. 646,728. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern." v 2 is a rear elevation; Fig. 3 is an elevation Be it known thatwe, HENRY B. HITZ, of with the front portion removed, the shaft and Milwaukee, and CARL A. 'M. voN SYBURG, of piston being in section. Fig. i is a section South Milwaukee, in the countyof Milwaukee at right angles to Fig. 3, with certain parts 5 and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new broken away. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the and useful Improvement in Rotary Engines, cam. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the slidof which the following is a description, refer ing gates, parts being broken away. Fig. 7 once being had to the accompanying drawis an end view of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a View ings, whichare a part of this specification. of a modified form, showing means for admit- 10 Our invention has relation to improvements ting steam directly to the side of the piston in rotary engines. instead of through the shaft.

Among the objects contemplated are, first, Referring to the drawings, the numeral 9 into provide a rotary engine operated by the exdicates abase-piece upon which is supported a pansion of intermittent jets of steam only; cylinder 10, forming an interior piston-cham- I 5 second, to provide for the expansion acting ber 11. Intersecting the cylinder centrally only against a movable piston, the back presis a shaft 12, said shaft being mounted in suitsure being obtained by sliding gates tempoable bearings and having stuffing-boxes 13 13 rarily set at moment of discharge of steam, fitted thereto and to the ends of the bearings. but adapted to retreat at moment of approach This shaft in the form shown in Figs. 1 to t,

20 of piston, thereby exhausting exhaust-chalm inclusive, is bored out longitudinally for a deher by means of properly-adjusted exhaustsired distance to form a steam-channel let. valves third, to provide for exhausting only The shaft is also formed or provided medially at the moment of withdrawal of sliding gate with a projecting piston 15, consisting of a and causing a cessation of the exhaust at comsingle flat arm projecting from the shaft in 25 plete withdrawal of sliding gate and during one direction into the piston-chamber l1 and the subsequent inward movement of said being of such length as to extend to the cirgate; fourth, to provide an engine that poscular wall of said chamber and of such width sesses as much power and is as easily run on as to fill the width of the chamber. Steam the reverse as in the direct; fifth, to provide passages 16 16 are formed in the piston, and

0 for an additional motive power by reason of these passages at their inner ends communia jet of live steam through the piston into cate with the longitudinal steam-channel let the piston-chamber behind said piston and of the shaft and at their outer ends are ex to the repulsive action which occurs in the tended laterally in opposite directions, the opposite direction to the piston-stroke and of lateral extension 17 of the passage 16 extend- 5 the resistance exerted against the outflow in ing through one face of the piston and the the already-expanded but not yet exhausted opposite extension 17 of the passage 16 exsteam of the foregoing change; sixth, to protending through the opposite face of the pisvide for easily compounding to the full exton. These passages therefore lead to the pansive force of steam by admitting steam spacesin the piston-chamber on opposite sides 0 from opposite sides of the engine for direct or of the piston. h o reverse action, and, seventh, to also provide The numeral 18 indicatesasteam-inlet pipe a construction whereby in compounding each which communicates with any suitable source separate engine could be connected directly of steam-supply. The inner end of this pipe to the main working shaft. is connected to a coupling 19, said coupling 5 With the above primary and other inciformed wit-h an interior valve-chamber 20, 5 dental objects in view the invention consists with which the inlet pipe communicates. of the devices and parts or their equivalents, Within this chamber is a valve 21,w l1ich as hereinafter morefully set forth. valve is adapted to be rotated by means of a In the'accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is suitable valve-handle 22. The valve is pro- 50 a front elevation, with parts in section. Fig. vided with an angular passage 23, and to op- I00 posite sides of the coupling are connected pipes 24 24, which pipes are in communication with the valve-chamber 20, and either may be put into communication with the inlet-pipe 18 by turning the valve so that its angular passage will register with said inletpipe and with the proper pipe leading from the coupling. In Fig. 4 the valve is shown as so adjusted as to put the inlet-pipe into communication with pipe 24. Coupled to and extending downwardly from pipes 24 24 are vertical pipes 25 25. The lower ends of these pipes extend into the bearings of the main shaft and communicate with annular chambers 26 26. These chambers have a plurality of ports 27 27 extending, respectively, through the inner walls thereof. Three of these ports for each chamber are advisably used, and we have shown this numberin the accompanying illustration of the invent-ion. A single port is provided at and communicates with opposite ends of the steam-channel 14 of the shaft. The single port at one end is indicated by the numeral 28 and the corresponding port at the opposite end by the numeral 28.

One side of the cylindrical casing is provided with a series of projecting chambers 29, advisably three, and in which chambers reciprocate laterally-sliding gates 30 30 30". These gates are hollow,forming interior chambers 31, and at their inner edges are provided with openings 32, leading to the inner chambers. The outer ends or heads of the sliding gates are provided with openings 33 33, and adapted to fit against the outer end or head of each gate is a fiat plate-valve 34. This valve is provided with opening 34. Extending inwardly from each plate-valve are stems 3535, on the inner ends of which are formed or provided inner valves 36 36, which are adapted to open and close the valve-openings 33 33. Passing loosely through an opening in an outer plate 37 is a rod 38, said rod also passing loosely through the plate-valve 34 and engaging a threaded boss 39, extending inwardly from the outer end of the sliding gate. It will be understood that each sliding gate. has connected thereto one of these sliding rods, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Each rod is laterally reciprocable, but n0n-rotatable. To provide the reciprocating move ment, each rod has projecting at right angles from its outer end a trunnion 40, and on this trunnion is mounted an antifriction-roller 41, which roller is adapted to fit in the cam-groove 42, formed in the periphery of a wheel 43, mounted on the main shaft 12. A portion of this cam-groove extends circumferentially around substantially one-half of the wheel in practically a true half-circle, as indicated by the numeral 44 as applied to the dotted lines of .Fig. 5, while on the remaining half portion of the face of the wheel the groove continues from the ends of the straight portion 44 outwardly in converging lines toward the point 45, which represents the farthest point to which the roller of a rod 38 can be reciprocated outwardly.

The plate 37 is formed on its outer face with a continuous exhaust-channe146,which channel at one point has connected thereto and in communication therewith an exhaust-pipe 47. The channel 46 has also ports 48 extending inwardly therefrom and in line with the several sliding gates.

In the operation of our improved invention if the valve 21 is adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 4 the steam is free to pass into the pipe 24, thence downwardly through the pipe 25 into the annular chamber 26. As the main shaft 12 is rotated the single port 28 at this end of the machine is successively brought into register with the three ports 27, and consequently steam intermittently passes into steam-channel 14, thence up the passage 16 of the piston,'and thence out through the laterally-extending port 17 into the space between the piston and the sliding gate 30". The expansive force of the steam in this chamber acts against the piston and causes the rotation of the piston toward the right of Fig. 3. Not only is the piston caused thus to rotate by the expansive force of steam, but also by reason of the repulsive force of the steam issuing out of the port 17 behind the piston in a direction opposite to the pistonstroke, and as the issuing jet of steam finds resistance in the already-expanded but not yet exhausted steam -chamber formed between the piston and the sliding gate 30 it is evident that this serves as an additional motive power. After the piston has rotated a certain distance toward the-right in advance of the sliding gate 30 the main shaft 12 will have been rotated sufficiently to bring the cam-groove 42 to such a position that one of its converging portions will begin to act on the antifriction-roller of the rod 38 and thus with the continued rotation of the shaft bring said roller to the point 45 of the cam-groove. This action of course forces the rod 38 outwardly, and the rod in turn pulls the sliding gate 30 outwardly. At the very beginning of this outward. movement of the sliding gate its inner end is withdrawn from contact with one of the ends or heads of the cylinder, and.

consequently the opening 32 at the inner end of the sliding gate is exposed and the steam within the space back of the sliding gate 30 is free to pass through this opening and enter the chamber 31 of the sliding gate 30. In the position of the piston shown in Fig. 3 the sliding gate 30 has been retrieved to its full extent, and consequently the piston is free to pass said gate with the continued rotation of the shaft Before the sliding gate 30 had started to retrieve or move outwardly the plate-valve 34 of said gate was in the position shown in Fig. 6,with the valves 36 3fi,covering the valve-openings 33 33. The moment,

however, the gate is started on its outward IOC IIC

travel the pull of the rod 38 forces the end of the gate against the plate-valve 34, said platevalve bearing somewhat tightly at its edges against the opposite walls of the chamber 29. With this slight movement or play of the sliding gate toward and against the plate-valve 34 the end of the sliding gate is necessarily drawn out of contact with the valves 36 36, and consequently the opening, 33 is exposed and the steam which enters the chamber 31 is free to pass through said opening 33' and through the openings 34' of the plate-valve and thence pass to and through the port 48 to the exhaust-pipe 47. The moment the plate-valve 34 contacts with the inner side of the plate 37 the solid portion of said plate-valve completely closes off the exhaust-port 48, and at the same time the completion of the outward stroke of the rod 38 brings the end of the sliding gate firmly against the plate-valve 34, so that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4. On the return inward stroke of the sliding gate the rod 38 causes a slight inward movement of said sliding gate independent of any movement of the plate-valve. The moment, however, the shoulders 49 49 of the boss 39 contact with the valves 36 36 the plate-valve 34 is drawn inwardly against the end of the sliding gate. It will therefore be seen that the exhaust only occurs at the moment of withdrawal of sliding gate and ceases at complete withdrawal and remains closed during the inward movement of the gate. The valve-opening 33 shown in the end of the sliding gate is not absolutely essential to successful results, as merely the valve-opening 33 could be provided. The stem 35 therefore is more in the nature of a guide-stem and the valve 36 a contacting part for the shoulder 49. The stem 35 could therefore merely pass through a guide-opening of just suflicient diameter to permit of its free passage. The moment the piston passes the gate 30 then the position of the roller in the cam 42 is such that said gate 30 begins its inward movement and the passage of the steam to the exhaust is closed, as just described, and the piston now begins to discharge steam in the space between it and the gate 30, and with the continued rotation of the piston the gate 30 is retrieved and steam exhausted by said gate from the chamber in advance of said gate 30 in the manner hereinbefore described, and after said gate 30 has been fully retrieved and the piston has passed the same then said piston begins to fill up the space between it and the gate 30, while with the continued movement of the piston the gate 30 is retrieved and the steam exhausted in the space in advance of said gate 30. From this it will be seen that the motion is a continuous one, with absolutely no dead-centers.

In order that the sliding gates may eifect a steam-tight joint when they are forced inwardly to their full extent, we provide the end of each sliding gate with bevels 50, which fit in corresponding recesses 51 51 in one of the ends or heads of the cylinder. The side edge of each sliding gate is also provided with a beveled projection 52, which fits in a corresponding recess 53, and thereby forms a steam-tight connection at the side of the gate.

In order to reverse the engine, all that is necessary is to turn the valve 21 so that its angular passage 23 connects the inlet-pipe 18 with the pipe 24. The steam therefore passes down the vertical pipe 25 and enters the annular chamber 26 and is thence free to pass successively through the ports 27 and through the port 28 into the longitudinal channel 14 of the shaft. From this channel it passes up the passage 16 of the piston and out through the lateral extension 17 thereof, when exactly the same operation takes place as already described, except that the engine is rotated in the reverse direction.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings we have shown a somewhat slightly-modified form of construction wherein instead of first causing the steam to pass into a longitudinal channel of the main shaft the pipe 25 at its lower end communicates with a port 54, formed in the end or head of the cylinder, and said port 54 in turn communicates with the passage 16 of the piston. n the other side of the engine the pipe which corresponds to the vertical pipe communicates with a passage 55, extending horizontally from the lower end of the passage 16' of the piston.

From the foregoing description itis thought that the construction, operation, and advantages of our improved rotary steam-engine will be readily understood. WVith this form of engine it is possible to develop greater indicated horse-power in comparison to bulk and with greater economy than any known form of steam-engine; that its power is increased in direct proportion to the length of the piston- 6. e., the leverage; that it requires no expensive bed-plates, as the necessary support for all parts is taken from cylinder-heads; that it requires a minimum of space; that it is economical, as the complete expansive force of steam can be utilized; that no more dead-weight is carried than the construction of shaft and piston require; that by altering relation between width and length of piston comparatively low or high speed with more or less power, respectively, can be obtained, thus making the engine adaptable for any desired purpose without intermediate transmission or gearing-thatis to say, by

lengthening the piston the power is increased, while by widening said piston the speed is increased; that by changing the number of sliding gates further means are obtainable for making the engine adaptable for difierent purposes, and, finally, that it is simple in construction, being composed of a small number of parts, easily accessible, and unlikely to get out of order.

While in the foregoing description we have only referred to steam as the medium of power-supply, it must be understood that this engine is also adapted for the use of gas, compressed air,or other analogous expansive fluid medium for producing power.

What we claim as our invention -is 1. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a cylinder, a main shaft provided with longitudinal channels, one for the direct and one for the reverse, a rotatable piston within the cylinder and extending from the shaft, said piston having passages therein leading out through opposite sides thereof, an inlet for the actuating medium, said inlet leading to one channel of the main shaft, another inlet leading to the other channel of said main shaft, an exhaust leading out of the casing, and out of communication with either channel of the. shaft, a plurality of gates, and means for reciprocating said gates, whereby each gate is successively moved to an open position as the piston advances toward the gate, and said gate subsequently moved to a closed position, after the piston has passed the same.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a cylinder, a main shaft having a longitudinal channel therein, and a port leading to said channel, a rotatable piston within the cylinder and extending from the shaft, said piston having a passage therein and leading out through one side thereof, an inlet for the actuating medium said inlet leading to a chamber, the wall of said chamber provided with a plurality of ports, with which the port of the shaft is successively brought into register as said shaft rotates, an exhaust, a plurality of gates means for reciprocating said gates, whereby each gate is successively moved to an open position as the piston advances toward the gate, and said gate subsequently moved to a closed position, after the piston has passed the same.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a cylinder, a main shaft having a longitudinal channel therein, with ports at opposite ends leading to said channel, a rotatable piston within the cylinder and extending from the shaft, said piston having passages therein leading out through opposite sides of the piston, an inlet leading to a chamber, the wall of said chamber provided with a plurality of ports with which each port of theshaft is successively brought into register as said shaft rotates, means for-admitting the inlet-actuating medium to one of the chambers leading to either end of the longitudinal channel of the shaft, an exhaust, a plurality of gates, means for reciprocating said gates, whereby each gate is successively moved to an open position as the piston advances toward the gate, and said gate subsequently moved to a closed position, after the piston has passed the same.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a cylinder, a main shaft, a rotatable piston within the cylinder and extending from the shaft, a plurality of reciprocating gates, each gate provided with an interior chamber, and

with an opening leading to said chamber, and also provided with an opening leading to the exhaust, a valve for automatically opening the valve-opening of each gate as said gate moves toward an open position, and also adapted, after the gate is fully opened, to automatically close the valve and remain in a closed position during the subsequent closing of the gate, means for supplying the actuating medium to each space between the piston and the gate in the rear of the line of rotation of the piston, and for exhausting from each space between the gates in advance of the revolving piston, and means for reciprocating the gates, whereby each gate is moved to an open position as the piston advances toward the gate, and said gate subsequently moved to a closed position, as the piston passes the same.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a cylinder, a main shaft, a rotatable piston within the cylinder and extending from the shaft, a plurality of reciprocating gates, each gate provided with an interior chamber, and also provided with a valve-opening leading to the exhaust, a valve loosely fitting against the outer side of one end of the gate, and provided' with an inwardly-extending stem, pass ing through the valve-opening in the end of the gate, said stem provided at its inner end, within the chamber of the gate, with an interior valve adapted to regulate the valve-opening of the gate, a rod passing loosely through the valve and connected to the end of each gate, means for reciprocating said rod, whereby as it is reciprocated in a direction to open the gate, said gate is pulled away from the inner valve toward and against the outer valve, whereby the valve-opening of the gate is opened and the actuating medium permitted to pass to the exhaust until the gate is fully opened, when said gate will be pulled against the outer valve and the flow of the actuating medium to the exhaust thereby shut off, and when said rod is reciprocated in the opposite direction to close the gate, the end of the gate will contact with the inner valve, and cause a closing of the valve-opening of the gate, means for supplying the actuating medium to each space between the piston and the gate in the rear of the line of rotation of the piston, and for exhausting from each space between the gates in advance of the revolving piston, and means for reciprocating the gates, whereby each gate is moved to an open position as the piston advances toward a gate, and said gate subsequently moved to a closed position as the piston passes the same.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination, of a cylinder, a main shaft provided with longitudinal channels, one for the direct and one for the reverse, a piston extending from the shaft, said piston having passages therein leading out through opposite sides thereof, said passages being in communication with the longitudinal channels of the shaft, an inlet for the actuating medium, said inlet leading to the channels of the shaft, a valve within sequently moved to a closed position after the inlet, and adapted to control the flow of the piston has passed the same.

the actuating medium to either channel of In testimony whereof we affix our signa the shaft, an exhaust leading out of the castures in presence of two Witnesses.

ing, said exhaust being out of communication with either channel of the shaft, a plurality SYBURG of gates, andvmeans for reciprocating said gates, whereby each gate is successively WVitnesses:

moved to an open position, as the piston ad- ARTHUR L. MORSELL,

vances toward the gate, and said gate sub- JOSEPHINE FAUST. 

